Tampa Bay -- I just had a lovely chat with Chris Ponte (such a nice man) about the project he’s been working diligently on. It’s called Peel, a collaboration between him and the owners of the Melting Pot. The first one is slated to open in August, its location somewhat mysterious but in the Twin Lakes area near Lowry Park in Tampa. The idea is fast casual, everything under $10, but chef-driven and artisanal, with gourmet pizzas, panini, salads and some of Ponte’s more famous items (that molten chocolate cake, the potato and truffle oil pizza). Although far from completed, Ponte says the look of the place will be contemporary, with lots of stainless steel and black and white with punches of green. The idea, says Ponte, is that in this economy people are looking to save by eating at fast-casual spots, but they want the food to reflect a greater sophistication level than many of the established fast-casual franchises.
